Cops, farmers injured in clash over land compensation in Punjab’s Bathinda

More than 10 police personnel and a number of farmers were injured in a clash over inadequate land compensation for the Amritsar-Jamnagar Expressway under the Bharatmala project at Shergarh in the district today.

Officials of the district administration accompanied by the police force had taken possession of an 8-km stretch at Dunewala, Shergarh and Bhagwangarh villages in the district yesterday. Dissatisfied over the compensation offered, farmers under the banner of the BKU-Ekta Ugrahan gave a call for taking back the possession at Dunewala village.

Heavy police deployment was made to prevent the farmers from marching towards the site. Today, irate farmers broke through the barricading but were stopped near the village.

The officials offered to hold talks but the farmers insisted on going to the site, prompting the police to use mild force. The farmers attacked the police with stone and flagsticks, forcing the cops to fire tear gas shells.

“We had given a call to the farmers from across the state to reach the site and take back the land that had been forcefully taken away by the administration without paying adequate compensation,” said Jhanda Singh Jethuke, senior vice-president, BKU Ekta Ugrahan.

“The administration asked us to hold a meeting, but we decided to take back possession as earlier meetings had yielded no results. We will not let the government take away our land without paying adequate compensation,” said Jethuke.

Shinagar Singh Mann, a farmer, said the protest would continue till due compensation was paid. “Injustice has been done as nearby areas have received higher compensation,” said Mann, who added several farmers had been injured in the police action.

Bathinda Deputy Commissioner Shaukat Ahmed Parray said 10 to 12 policemen were injured as they were attacked with stones and sticks.

An 8-km stretch of the expressway is to pass through the district and a compensation of nearly Rs 1,400 crore has already been given in two parts. The farmers here had been paid at the rate of Rs 50 lakh per acre under the norms, while those whose land fell close to the nearby national highway had received Rs 70 lakh per acre.

SSP Amneet Kondal said the possession had been lawfully given to the National Highways Authority of India yesterday. The farmers’ union tried to forcibly take back the possession despite efforts for talks. “They used stones and lathis against police personnel on duty to break the barricades,” she said. The police used graded non-lethal use of force to control the situation, she added.

The SAD condemned the use of force on “peacefully protesting” farmers, saying “the action of the state government is illegal, undemocratic and unwarranted”.